Barbie released dolls based on ‘inspiring women’ just in time for International Women’s Day on March 8. The dolls included women from all types of backgrounds including Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim, aviator Amelia Earhart, and NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, according to CNN.
With 86% of US moms worried about the type of role models their daughters are exposed to, we are committed to shining a light on empowering female role models in an effort to inspire more girls.
Join us by sharing your role models using #MoreRoleModels. #IWD2018 pic.twitter.com/FnEuBsDh23
— Barbie (@Barbie) March 6, 2018
The launch of these dolls is being pushed alongside Barbie’s #MoreRoleModels campaign. In a tweet, Barbie said “We are committed to shining a light on empowering female role models in an effort to inspire more girls.”
Ahh! Im so happy to be honored as a @Barbie Shero alongside these incredible women! #InternationalWomensDay #Barbie pic.twitter.com/U0J7ajM0Sd
— Chloe Kim (@chloekimsnow) March 6, 2018
Proud to partner with @Barbie this #InternationalWomensDay to show girls – YOU CAN BE ANYTHING!#Ad pic.twitter.com/nMdT7jMK8L
— Nicola Adams (@NicolaAdamsOBE) March 6, 2018
The dolls are each shockingly realistic, except for one. Allure pointed out artist Frida Kahlo’s doll minimization of her iconic unibrow and mustache. If you’re familiar with Kahlo, you’d know the significant of her faial hair. It was a symbol of Kahlo’s refusal to give in to traditional feminine beauty standards despite pressures from society.
Allure noted a few stray hairs above the doll’s nose, but it’s incredibly sparse in comparison to Kahlo’s actual unibrow. From afar, and in most of the promo pictures, Kahlo looks perfectly waxed like the other Barbies.
So, while the internet celebrated this launch, they also had a lot to say about the erasure of Kahlo’s style and some critiques about the line’s overall diversity.
Nice idea @Barbie but would have loved to have seen a disabled role model included! The most under represented minority group in the world need people to look up to too! #MoreRoleModels #Whataboutme? #ShareASmileBecky #InternationalWomensDay https://t.co/Q2TKTdIBEo
— Hannah Cockroft MBE (@HCDream2012) March 6, 2018
#FridaKahlo must be happy to see a capitalist corporation using her image. Disgusting ? https://t.co/vpcga3ju29
— Kheira Tami (@kheiratami) March 7, 2018
IWD2018 is this Thursday and @Barbie is all over it! I need the #FridaKahlo doll immediately. I support the #MoreRoleModels movement ❤️ https://t.co/vjoCPC9Ke6
— Megan Telles (@mtelles) March 7, 2018
Mattel has a new line of Barbies, called Role Models. One of them is supposed to be Frida Kahlo, no wheelchair, no accident, operation or polio scars, and no unibrow.#MoreRoleModels @Mattel #DisTheOscars #RepresentationNotErasure
— (((Emmanations))) (@emma_rosenthal) March 6, 2018
Despite the controversy, it’s clear that Barbie has come a long way since it was first launched. The first black Barbie, Christie, didn’t come out until 10 years after Barbie’s initial launch, according to People. It wasn’t until the late 90s that the first Barbie in a wheelchair came out—and it was quickly criticized because her wheelchair didn’t fit through the doors of the Barbie Dreamhouse, PRI reported.
One of their most notable expansions to the line was the inclusion of Barbies of all shapes and sizes in a 2016 launch. This was the first time that Barbies came in any size besides skinny-and-tall in their history.
This latest launch was clearly done with good intentions to inspire young girls that they really can grow up to be anything, but a crucial oversight of some of the details may have hurt their message.
(Photo Credits: Cover)